Richard Howell added 16 points and 18 rebounds in a relentless performance for the Wolfpack (14-2, 3-0 ACC) in a matchup of the teams predicted to finish 1-2 in the league.

N.C. State was picked for the first time in nearly four decades to win the league, though two early losses drained some buzz.

No longer. Now N.C. State is back on everyone’s radar, while the Blue Devils (15-1, 2-1) are no longer unbeaten.

Seth Curry scored 22 for Duke, which shot 45 percent and hung around early by crashing the boards for second-chance baskets. But the Blue Devils had no answer after halftime for Leslie and Howell, a duo that helped the Wolfpack lead all second half.

No. 3 Louisville 64, S. Florida 38

Louisville, Ky. — Peyton Siva scored 17 points and Louisville held South Florida to a season-low 27 percent shooting for an easy victory.

Center Gorgui Dieng added 12 points and 16 rebounds while forward Chane Behanan had 12 rebounds and seven points for the Cardinals (15-1, 3-0 Big East), who won their 10th in a row. Behanan played just five days after injuring his left ankle in practice and missing Wednesday’s victory against Seton Hall.

No. 5 Indiana 88, No. 8 Minnesota 81

Indianapolis — Victor Oladipo had 20 points and six rebounds and Jordan Hulls knocked down four 3-pointers, helping Indiana hold off Minnesota’s late charge.

The Hoosiers (15-1, 3-0 Big Ten) have won six straight overall and 18 in a row at Assembly Hall.

Minnesota (15-2, 3-1) was led by Andre Hollins with 25 points but had its 11-game winning streak snapped despite rallying from 23 points down at halftime to within 3 with 19.5 seconds left.

The Badgers (12-4, 3-0 Big Ten) scored the game’s first 14 points and led by 20 at halftime on the way to their sixth straight win.

No. 14 Butler 79, Dayton 73

Dayton, Ohio — Roosevelt Jones scored 16 points and Butler extended its best start in four years beating Dayton for its 11th straight victory despite losing its top scorer to injury.

The Bulldogs (14-2, 2-0 Atlantic 10) lost guard Rotnei Clarke, who hit the padded backboard support hard after an intentional foul at 8:13 at the first half and was taken off the court on a stretcher. He was moving his legs and gave a thumbs-up sign as he left the court.

Connecticut 65 No. 17 Notre Dame 58

South Bend, Ind. — Shabazz Napier scored 19 points, Tyler Olander scored 12 of his career-high 16 points in the second half and Connecticut ended the game with a 7-0 run to beat Notre Dame, ending a 12-game winning streak by the Fighting Irish.

After Eric Atkins scored six straight points for the Irish to tie the score at 58 with a basket inside, Ryan Boatright made four straight free throws for Connecticut and DeAndre Daniels added a basket and a free throw to put the game away. The Huskies (12-3, 2-1) are the only team to beat the Irish (14-2, 2-1) at home in the past 48 games dating back to the end of the 2009-10 season. It also marked the third time in recent years the Huskies have ended a long home winning streak by the Irish.

No. 18 Kansas St. 65, West Va. 64

Morgantown, W.Va. — Shane Southwell made two free throws with 21 seconds left, then blocked Gary Browne’s layup attempt with a second left to preserve Kansas State’s win over West Virginia.

Southwell and Rodney McGruder both had 17 points for the Wildcats (13-2, 2-0 Big 12), who won for the sixth straight time.

No. 19 Georgetown 67 St. John’s 51

New York — Otto Porter had 19 points and a season-high 14 rebounds and No. 19 Georgetown broke out of its scoring funk with a victory over St. John’s.

Martel Starks had 17 points for the Hoyas (11-3, 1-2 Big East), who had lost two straight games and scored 48 points in both. There was plenty of offense from them in this game as they continued their great defense in taking a 36-19 halftime lead after being up by as many as 33-10.

No. 25 New Mexico 72 Fresno St. 45

Albuquerque, n.m. — Alex Kirk had 19 points and a career-high 14 rebounds and No. 25 New Mexico played without leading scorer Kendall Williams for disciplinary reasons in a rout over Fresno State.

Cameron Bairstow matched his career high with 16 points, including 15 in the first half. Kirk and Bairstow, who made his first six shots, combined for nine points in a 16-2 run that gave the Lobos their largest halftime lead of the season at 39-22.

Fresno State (6-9, 0-2, Mountain West) had cut the lead to 23-20 with six straight points before the Lobos (15-2, 2-0) went on the game-changing run in which six different players contributed points.